RFID triggered personal athletic device

• US 7,969,314 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Case, Charles W. Jr., Boyd, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US12/058,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20080258917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/309.16, 482/8
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 60/10 inside cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 : Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 : at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 : at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 : Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 : Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 : using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A personal athletic device is worn by a runner during a race. A race course is provided with a plurality of mats along the race course. The mats have antennas and generate a magnetic field. The personal athletic device has a chip system having an RFID tag and a display. As the runner progress along the course, the RFID tag is triggered at each mat and race data is displayed on the device.

Claims

1. A personal device worn by an athlete during a timed event, the device comprising:

an attachment member to be worn by the athlete;

a transceiver coupled to the attachment member, the transceiver to receive signals during the timed event, wherein the signals cause the personal device to automatically determine and record one or more measured split times for the athlete during the timed event;

a display coupled to the attachment member to display data associated with the timed event including the one or more measured split times for the athlete during the timed event and a plurality of user-defined split times for the timed event;

at least one processor; and

memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor and storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the personal device to;

receive a user-specified plan defining the plurality of user-defined split times from another physically separate device, wherein the user-specified plan is previously stored in the other physically separate device;

transmit, through the transceiver during an athlete registration process for the timed event, personal information specific to the athlete stored in the memory, the athlete registration process occurring prior to a start of the timed event;

detect signals generated along a course associated with the timed event during the timed event;

in response to detecting the signals generated along the course;

record the one or more measured split times;

display a first type of performance metric of the athlete in the timed event, wherein the first type of performance metric is displayed for a predefined amount of time and

upon expiration of the predefined amount of time, automatically display a second type of performance metric of the athlete in the timed event.

2. The personal device of claim 1, the transceiver further comprising an RFID transceiver and wherein the detected signals include radio frequency signals.

3. The personal device of claim 1, wherein the display displays a first measured split time for the athlete during the timed event simultaneously with a first user-defined split time as the first type of performance metric.

4. The personal device of claim 3, the display to further display a comparison between the first measured split time for the athlete during the timed event and the first user-defined split time for the athlete during the timed event, wherein the comparison includes a visual indication of whether the athlete is ahead of, behind or on-track relative to the user-defined split time, wherein the visual indication is different from the first measured split time and the first user-defined split time.

5. The personal device of claim 3, the display to display an elapsed time for the athlete during the timed event as the second type of performance metric.

6. The personal device of claim 1, the display further comprising a bistable display, the bistable display to perpetually display the elapsed time for the athlete at the conclusion of the timed event.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores payment information of the athlete and wherein the payment information is provided electronically to one or more other systems during the registration process.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the device to:

in response to detecting a signal generated along the course;

determine a current geographic location of the athlete including

receiving a signal from a geographic location determination system; and

display predefined location information describing the geographic location of the athlete along the course.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, by a transceiver of a device worn by an athlete during a timed event, a user-specified plan defining a plurality of user-defined split times from another physically separate device, wherein the user-specified plan is previously stored in the other physically separate device;

transmitting, through the transceiver during an athlete registration process for the timed event, personal information specific to the athlete stored in a memory of the worn device, the athlete registration process occurring prior to a start of the timed event;

detecting, by the device, a signal generated along a course of the timed event and corresponding to a location along the course during the timed event;

in response to detecting the signal;

determining a split time associated with the athlete'"'"'s performance during the timed event;

displaying a first type of performance metric of the athlete in the timed event, wherein the first type of performance metric is displayed for a predefined amount of time; and

upon expiration of the predefined amount of time, automatically displaying a second type of performance metric of the athlete in the timed event;

wherein the first type of performance metric of the athlete is a comparison of the athlete'"'"'s performance during the timed event to a target performance, wherein the target performance is determined based on the plurality of user-defined split times defined as part of the received user-specified plan.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying, by the display coupled to the transceiver, a pace for the athlete.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

perpetually displaying, by the display coupled to the transceiver, an indication of the athlete'"'"'s performance at the conclusion of the timed event.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

perpetually displaying, by the display coupled to the transceiver, an elapsed time for the timed event at the conclusion of the timed event.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting, by the transceiver, an indication of the athlete'"'"'s performance during the timed event.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in response to detecting a signal generated along the course, receiving, during the timed event from at least one physically separate device coupled to the transceiver, a motivational message for the athlete.